House panel worries that Obama cybersecurity plan could open door to abuse

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Federal cybersecurity officials got a cold reception from House lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who questioned whether White House cyber proposals could result in abuse and government intrusion.

Officials from the Justice, Homeland Security, and Commerce departments who testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet faced pointed questions about the White House Cyberspace Policy Review unveiled last week. Lawmakers on the panel worried that the Administration's plan provides too much government control in cybersecurity issues. The proposal would grant legal immunity to companies that cooperate with federal cyber investigations. That, the subcommittee's ranking member, Melvin Watt (D-NC), said, sounds a lot like the controversial retroactive immunity given to telecom companies that helped in the government's warrantless wiretapping program after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "These companies could then do something that's unconstitutional just because you say it's not," he said. "People get very uncomfortable with the idea that the government can just call up someone, demand information, and then provide them immunity."


House panel worries that Obama cybersecurity plan could open door to abuse Republicans air doubts about White House cybersecurity plan (The Hill)